Insurance
Insurance
VHIS Medical History Declaration: What Must You Declare and What Can Be Omitted?
Author
Bowtie Team
Updated on
2026-09-05
Health declarations made during application directly influence future Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) claims. In this guide, Bowtie explains in detail which medical histories must be disclosed and which can be safely omitted. As with traditional medical insurance, insurers review every application before granting VHIS approval—a procedure known as underwriting. Underwriting allows insurers to assess risk accurately and maintain fairness across all policyholders enrolled in the same plan.
Because an insured person’s medical disclosure directly governs claims compensation, since 2022 the Health Bureau has mandated that all insurers offering VHIS adopt a “Standardised Underwriting Questionnaire” (where underwriting questions across providers are largely consistent), requiring applicants to disclose the following information:
What Medical Histories Must You Declare When Buying VHIS?
When applying for VHIS, insurers require applicants to declare past and present medical conditions to assess underwriting risk. Under the Standardised Underwriting Questionnaire framework, you are required to declare the following categories of health information:
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Pre-existing illnesses or symptoms
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Hospitalisation / surgical procedure records
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Diagnostic investigation records
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Medication history
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Follow-up consultations or medical care records
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Physical abnormalities
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Family medical history
Pre-existing Conditions or Symptoms
Insurers require VHIS applicants to declare existing diseases, disorders, or recurring symptoms. Common examples include:
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Cancer or carcinoma in situ
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Brain tumours
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Heart disease
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Stroke (including transient ischaemic attack, commonly known as a “mini-stroke”)
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Hypertension (high blood pressure)
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Diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance
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Kidney disease
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Herniated intervertebral disc or degenerative spinal conditions
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Medical conditions or disabilities requiring the implantation of medical devices or prostheses
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Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection
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Congenital conditions (medical, physical, or mental abnormalities existing at or before birth)
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Physical defects, impairments, deformities, and/or conditions affecting mobility, vision, speech, or hearing
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Mental health conditions (such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, eating disorders, or bipolar disorder)
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Hypercholesterolaemia or hyperlipidaemia
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Liver diseases (such as Hepatitis B or C [including positive test results], fatty liver, or cirrhosis)
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Multiple sclerosis
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Hernia
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Breast conditions (tumours, lumps, masses, cysts, nodules, or hyperplasia)
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Uterine or ovarian conditions (tumours, lumps, masses, cysts, polyps, nodules, or hyperplasia)
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Benign prostatic hyperplasia
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Gallstones or urinary calculi (kidney stones, ureteral stones, or bladder stones)
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Cataracts, glaucoma, or retinopathy
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Arthritis or other joint diseases
Hospitalisation / Surgical Procedures
Insurers require VHIS applicants to declare hospitalisation or surgical records within the past 5 years, including:
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Inpatient medical treatments
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Surgical procedures, including but not limited to open surgeries, endoscopic procedures, biopsies, and reconstructive operations
Diagnostic Investigations
Insurers require VHIS applicants to declare diagnostic investigations undergone within the past 5 years, including:
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Endoscopic examinations
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Biopsies
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Blood tests
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Urine tests
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Electrocardiograms (ECG)
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X-rays
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Ultrasounds
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Computed Tomography (CT scans)
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI scans)
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Positron Emission Tomography (PET scans)
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HIV tests
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Hepatitis B tests
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Hepatitis C tests
Medication Records
Insurers require VHIS applicants to declare their medication history within the past 5 years, including:
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Whether a doctor has recommended regular prescription medication (e.g. taken daily, weekly, or as directed / as needed) for a continuous period exceeding 1 month
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Whether you have continuously used non-prescribed drugs for more than 3 months (including addictive or recreational substances such as cocaine, stimulants, heroin, methadone, or anabolic steroids; excluding standard nutritional supplements)
Follow-up Consultations or Medical Care Records
Insurers require VHIS applicants to declare medical follow-ups received within the past 5 years, including:
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Whether you have undergone, or have been advised to undergo, regular or ongoing consultations or medical care (e.g. monthly, bi-monthly, semi-annually, or annually) with medical practitioners or healthcare professionals (such as medical specialists, physiotherapists, or psychiatrists) for any illness or physical condition
Physical Abnormalities
Insurers require VHIS applicants to declare notable physical abnormalities, including:
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Unexplained weight loss exceeding 5 kg (11 lbs) within the past 1 year
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Abnormal bleeding (such as unexplained vaginal bleeding, rectal bleeding, recurrent nosebleeds, or coughing up blood) persisting for at least 1 month
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Any other underlying health conditions, symptoms, or physical signs (such as unexplained lumps, chronic headaches, persistent cough, chest pain, or upper abdominal discomfort) for which you are currently seeking or intend to seek medical advice
Family Medical History
Insurers require VHIS applicants to disclose whether biological parents or siblings were diagnosed with any of the following conditions at or before the age of 60:
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Cancer
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Coronary heart disease
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Diabetes
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Motor neurone disease
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Multiple sclerosis
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Stroke
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Parkinson’s disease
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Hereditary conditions (including cystic fibrosis, familial adenomatous polyposis, Alzheimer’s disease, familial cardiomyopathy, hereditary blood disorders [such as haemophilia, thalassaemia, or sickle cell anaemia], muscular dystrophy, polycystic kidney disease, or Huntington’s disease)
Please note: The above lists represent the standard disclosures mandated by insurers. If an applicant is aware of any other “material facts” (information that could influence an underwriter’s assessment of risk or premium pricing) that are not explicitly captured by the questionnaire options, the applicant remains legally obligated to declare them truthfully to the insurer through supplementary channels.
Health Conditions or Treatments That Do Not Need to Be Declared
Applicants generally do not need to declare minor, self-limiting health conditions or routine preventative care, provided there were no complications and recovery is complete. These typically include:
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Common colds, seasonal flu, or mild sore throats
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Acute gastroenteritis or food poisoning (fully recovered)
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Occasional indigestion (where no diagnostic investigation was recommended or required)
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Mild acne
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Muscle sprains or strains (fully recovered)
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Oral thrush
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Routine antenatal ultrasound scans and blood tests (with normal results)
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Routine cervical screening (Pap smears) (with normal results)
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Routine annual health check-ups (with normal results)
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Preventative vaccinations and immunisations
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Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause
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Fertility treatments, or uncomplicated pregnancies with normal foetal development
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Common refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, or presbyopia)
Sources
FAQ
What are the consequences of failing to declare medical history or health conditions truthfully?
Applicants must disclose their health status and past medical history honestly and to the best of their knowledge. Deliberate non-disclosure or concealment breaches the “Principle of Utmost Good Faith”. This can result in additional policy exclusions, premium loadings, policy termination, or the outright rejection of future claims. Furthermore, if an insurer encounters discrepancies during a claim, it has the contractual right to obtain medical records from Hospital Authority public hospitals or private medical institutions, revealing previously undisclosed conditions.
What is the “Principle of Utmost Good Faith”?
Insurance contracts are strictly governed by the common law doctrine of Utmost Good Faith (uberrimae fidei). This principle dictates that, regardless of whether a specific question is explicitly asked on an application form, an applicant has a positive legal duty to disclose all “material facts”—meaning any circumstance that could reasonably influence a prudent insurer in deciding whether to accept the risk and determining the applicable premium.
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